There will be no defense of the SK Light Modified championship at Stafford Motor Speedway.
Tony Membrino Jr. (Photo: Stafford Motor Speedway)
Instead of defending a championship, the reigning SK Light Modified champion at Stafford will instead be chasing a Rookie of the Year title.
Tony Membrino Jr. said Tuesday he will make the jump from the SK Light Modified division to the SK Modified division at Stafford Motor Speedway for the 2014 season.
Membrino had three victories on the way to the SK Light Modified championship in 2013.
“We had something fall into our lap,” Membrino said. “We were actually just planning on running another year in the SK Light. … I got a little bit of an opportunity. We were able to work out an arrangement with [SK Modified team owner] Steve Greer, between my father, myself and Steve and we acquired his Raceworks Chassis [car]. So we’ll be fielding that car in the SK [Modified] division this year.”
Membrino said his team will run a T/A Engine for the upcoming season and he will be working closely with Ed Flemke Jr. from Raceworks on the transition to the SK Modified. The team will run a No. 79 car.
“I’m definitely looking forward to it,” Membrino said. “It’s something I’ve always dreamed of doing. Obviously, nowadays a lot of things come down to money, which is why we were originally planning on staying in the Lights because we really didn’t have things set up ahead of time to make the jump. When this fell into our laps it kind of eliminated a lot of the big financial hurdles.”
Membrino, of Plantsville, jumped to the SK Light Modified division in 2011 after winning the 2010 DARE Stock championship at Stafford. He had two victories and 23 top-five finishes in 48 DARE Stock division starts at the track.
Over 56 starts in the SK Light Modified division over the last three years has had four victories and 27 top-five finishes.
“With this move, it’s an opportunity for me to gain that much more experience that’s only going to make me better in the long run,” Membrino said.
Eddie has learned is great skills by one of the greatest in modified history. As the Membrino Family knows their working with one of the “Best”. May you achieve many wins this season!
Love the MODS since the 60’s. But since the SK’s have come around I and others feel its just a duplication of MODs with smaller carbs(?)!! From a distance there are totally alike!! MOD racing in the NE now is coming more limited and I feel the SK’s are one reason for that. Just give me the real brute power of the old MOD’s back. We understand its a different world now of the MOD’s, but copying the best of the pure boil MODS and making them seem smaller just isn’t working. Look at the car counts and fannies in the seats!! You know NASCAR isn’t going to help either. So the brain trust of the MODS has to do it-make changes. So drop one or the other!! You know which one I would drop!! Hurry up spring!! Need for speed is here!!